ABSTRACT
Tissue engineering and bone regeneration techniques using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have started to be applied to the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Clinically, a shortened treatment time and improved efficiency are necessary because of the patients' needs and the running cost of cell culture. In the present study, the cultivation process for human MSCs (hMSCs) was examined by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway. We activated Wnt signaling with LiCl and inhibited Wnt signaling with sFRP-3 (secreted Frizzled-Related Protein-3). The proliferation of LiCl-treated hMSCs was examined by studying the cell growth rate and performing BrdU assays. Osteogenic differentiation of sFRP-3-treated hMSCs was examined by alizarin red staining, and osteogenic gene expression on days 7 and 14 after induction was examined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis. LiCl-treated hMSCs showed increased cell numbers and BrdU-positive cells as compared to the untreated cells. Alizarin red staining showed early mineralization of hMSCs on day 7 of the sFRP-3 treatment. A high expression level of the alkaline phosphatase gene on days 7 and 14 of sFRP-3 treatment was also demonstrated. These results suggest that the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway contributes to the increased cell numbers and the early osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. This study supports the possibility that the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway contributes to the development of effective and efficient bone regeneration techniques.
ABSTRACT
[Objective]The purpose of this study is to evaluate an effect of electroacupuncture therapy on low back pain of collegiate athletes. <BR>[Methods]Subjects were 28 collegiate athletes with low back pain who gave informed consent. They consulted a medical doctor beforehand. The electroacupuncture therapy was performed as acupuncture. The evaluation items were as follows:Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) which expresses the state of the pain (Pain-VAS), VAS which shows a training state (Training-VAS), five phases of evaluations to show a training state, pain at the time of the trunk movements, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. The correlation of each item was estimated.<BR>[Results]The chief complaint of 27 people was low back pain, and one person had pain of the low back and the lower extremities. In the diagnosis, 16 people had non-specific low back pain, 5people had lumbar vertebrae discopathy, and 3had a lumber vertebrae herniated disk. As a result of acupuncture, the training-VAS and five phases of evaluations to show the training state and JOA score were significantly improved. However, as for the pain-VAS and pain at the time of trunk movements and RDQ, a significant difference was not accepted. <BR>[Conclusion]Training-VAS is useful for measuring the outcome of an athlete with low back pain. It is important that athletes with low back pain evaluate their training.
ABSTRACT
[Objective] To report the activity by the athletic trainer in a collegiate boxing club, focusing on acupuncture for medical treatment.<BR>[Methods] The athletic trainer was Japan a Japan Sports Association certifiedathletic trainer who was a practitioner of acupuncture and moxibustion. Subjects were twenty-seven collegiate boxers who participated for one year from April, 2004 to March, 2005.<BR>[Results] The activity by the athletic trainer was performed for thirty two days. Medical treatment was performed up to 2.2 times a day. Seventy-one people were treated by the athletic trainer. Medical treatments were acupuncture 28 (39.4%), massage 24 (33.8%), taping 4 (5.6%), and partner stretch 3 (4.2%). Thirteen people (48.1%) had acupuncture. In acupuncture, fifteen people (50%) had a chief complaint in the hand.<BR>[Discussion] Acupuncture was requested by the boxers. The continuation of the activity by the athletic trainer was required for boxing.
ABSTRACT
[Follow-up studies were made of 35 patient who underwent laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy for 22 monthoon averages]<BR>The conditions of 35 patients were observed consecutively after laminoplasty.<BR>The mean JOA scores were improved from 8.7 to 12.5. Postoperative JOA scores correlated with preoperarive JOA scores (r=0.60, p<0.01) and ages at the time of the operation (r=-0.45, p<0.01). The period from the onset of the disease to the operation and the vertebral canal diameters didnot [No significant correlation who found between- and-] influence the operative results of the operation.
ABSTRACT
The Jichi Medical School has trained doctors for work in community health care for over 20 years.Students learn medical communication skills by role-play. In this role-play, doctors and patients areplayed by students. Discussions are also held by students. The teaching staff give additional explanations, suggestions and demonstrations. By themselves, students learn about 1) general practice, 2) theprocess of consultation, 3) medical communication and 4) patients' emotions. We plan to develop othereducational resources such as trained simulated patients.